


for what comes after

by beebuzz



Category: The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild
Genre: Comfort, Confessions, First Kiss, Fluff, M/M, Reunions, Selectively Mute Link (Legend of Zelda)
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-08-18
Updated: 2020-08-18
Packaged: 2021-03-06 06:47:42
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 8,937
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/25965355
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/beebuzz/pseuds/beebuzz
Summary: Hazy waterfalls, dragging clouds, the taste of the air only lingered on the back of his tongue with its thick and humid earthiness if he tried hard enough to remember it.And yet, here he was stopped dead in the sand by the sight of dazzling red gliding through the water. A second-long glance was all it took to rip the memories from their pocket in the corner of his mind and slam them against his skull with unforgiving urgency.
Relationships: Link/Prince Sidon
Comments: 15
Kudos: 245





	for what comes after

**Author's Note:**

> I wrote this as a happy birthday for one of my wonderful friends- I hope you enjoy it foofy and I wish you so much happiness today and always ♡ I lov you !!!

“-That’s sixteen rupees each. How many would you like?” Sitting cross-legged on her blanket, Emri motioned down to the hydromelons stacked precariously between them. 

Fingers to his chin, mouth open, the few readied words were sucked abruptly out of Link’s mouth and replaced with the salty remnants of an all too persistent memory. 

“I do apologize that I have to keep meeting with you in such a state-” 

A voice- not that far off- rang with such stark familiarity that it had Link standing up and leaving the vai to tilt her head at him. 

“Miss,” She offered, but he was too wrapped up in the lure and bewilderment of that rich tone to notice. 

“Please-” Link hadn’t heard it too often since he’d arrived in the desert, but Lady Riju’s bubbly laugh was just as charming as the first time he’d been blessed by it. Uplifting sounds always seemed to stick with him. Laughs, voices, songs- they wormed themselves into his brain and laid content until they could be useful or comforting. “I can’t have you shriveling up on us.” _This far out of the palace-_ “One dead Zora- even one far less important than yourself- would be enough to start an entire war.” 

_Zora_ \- “It takes much more than a little heat to bring me down, I assure you.” _That voice-_

Perhaps his mind wasn’t playing cruel tricks on him after all. 

With a rushed, apologetic bow, Link turned. His eyes swept wide across the haze of the bazaar. The sun was ticking lower with each hour, but heat clung to the air as long as the sand remained gold. Squinting, hand up over his eyes, he continued his search until falling upon the palace guards. They faced out, intimidating and vigilant as Lady Riju stood within their circle. 

“I do hope you’ll accompany me into town again soon.” Her smile flashed from behind the guards’ legs. 

One shifted, widened their stance and allowed Link to peer down between them into the pool. The water rippled. Everyone continued to bustle about. Lady Riju had her hands up with an excited sort of declaration. Yet, the chaos around him fell on deaf ears once Link caught the first gleam of sunlight dancing across carmine scales. 

Air pulled in quick, he held that breath in his chest as his eyes snagged on the sparkle. 

Every sound rushed back to him with Sidon’s laugh that had always been as cacophonous as it was strangely melodic. 

Why was he here? 

Why now? 

Was it unusual for someone to recognize the briefest flash of a color so quickly? 

How many moons had it been since he last saw it? 

When had he stopped keeping track? 

For longer than Link would like to admit, it was easiest to use his trips to the Domain as a vague indication of time passing. Collecting supplies, repairing his weapons, sleeping away the perpetual fatigue- the reason itself didn’t matter all that much. He found himself there more often than anywhere else. His moments spent among high crystal towers and roaring water were frequent enough to stick out as makeshift timepoints in a never-ending stream of days and nights. 

He couldn’t recall when or why exactly so much time began to spread between the visits; but he knew each time he left, it filled him with more wistful unease than the last. He tarried a bit too long there, both in body and spirit. He couldn't be wasting his time. Leisure wasn’t a privilege he could allow himself. Finding comfort in towns and familiar faces had never done him any good. It was all unsettling enough to convince him it wasn’t beneficial to scatter many of his thoughts there. 

All for the best, the further west he traveled, the harder it became to return. Days stretched on until the forests grew sparse and the last pass through the Domain seemed like a fond dream. Hazy waterfalls, dragging clouds, the taste of the air only lingered on the back of his tongue with its thick and humid earthiness if he tried hard enough to remember it. 

And yet, here he was stopped dead in the sand by the sight of dazzling red gliding through the water. A second-long glance was all it took to rip the memories from their pocket in the corner of his mind and slam them against his skull with unforgiving urgency. 

The will of his repression was strong. Stronger than the desire to hurry forward and throw himself into the pool. His feet carried him away from the scene before one of those memories could escape out his foolish mouth. 

Busying himself within the walls of the city, the night fell swiftly and with it came the call for his daily training. As jittery as the afternoon left him, his misfortune only continued once he discovered Buliara alone was waiting for him. 

She was always ruthless during their sparing. The others were easy to trip up. Their motions were far more rigid. Their instincts, slow and inflexible. But even on his best nights, he had difficulty tripping the captain up. He’d hoped focusing on a scrap would ease his mind- Let the thrum of the match align his pulse with his breathing and let the tension ooze out. It became apparent things wouldn’t be working in his favor when the restless buzz beneath his skin and something all too familiar scurrying around in his chest were making it a struggle to keep up. 

Buliara had come close to nicking his side a handful of times. In place of a gash, she thwapped the solid shaft of her spear into his ribs. Although far less painful or hindering, it still made him flinch, jump away, and breathe through the panic worsening his judgement even further. 

No pause to be had, she was charging forward again and thrusting the blade without the barest sense of hesitation. Spinning his own spear, he grabbed the base and lunged with a hunch to try and jab from below- 

“That’s enough, Buliara!” Riju’s voice rang loud just as the sharp prongs of their spears tangled and caught, locking them in their stances. “Let’s give our champion a break.” 

The tension pushing back against him disappeared before her words even finished flitting through the air. Buliara stood, arms crossing behind her back and leaving him to stumble forward. At the loss of her balance, his spear bowed and stabbed the dirt below. 

“How’s the progress?” 

“Worse than usual.” Buliara turned her attention downward, narrow eyes cutting into his resolve that much more. “Your steps were predictable and heavy tonight. I could have easily gone right through your lung if I’d wanted to.” 

“It’s late.” Riju made her way closer, smiling at them both. “I’m sure we’re all a bit tired.” 

“There’s no _time_ to be tired, my lady. If I can take your _champion_ then-” 

“Say!” Riju clapped her hands together with a jingle of her adornments and a bright laugh. Turning towards him a bit more, her smile grew soft. “Would you like something to eat before we retire?” Without waiting for a response, her hand was around his wrist and tugging him toward the throne room. “Fetch us something, won’t you Buliara?” 

Riju draped herself along one of the couches once inside. It led him to sit on the far end to give her the room to sprawl out. She’d probably mistake it for manners; but in their place laid a deep discomfort with the formality of their interactions. 

By the time the silence dipped into an air of discomfort, there was a warm bowl of stew being slid between his palms. It didn’t take more than a few swallows before the sour spice was adding to the churn of his stomach. Buliara left as soon as the bowls were in front of them. The look she gave as she passed was usually disapproving, but it was worsened whenever Riju showed him any sort of extra kindness. 

“Are you enjoying your time here?” 

Riju asked him the same question to start every conversation. He’d come to believe the answer didn’t really matter to her all that much. While most of the Gerudo were very direct people, Riju tried to hide it somewhat with the words she used. Likely, it stemmed from a need for diplomacy; but still, her tone and uninterested glances were nothing but obvious. 

He nodded nonetheless. It earned him a forged smile that flooded her courtesy with the truth of her motive. 

“That’s good. I’m sorry for causing your training to be so late. The guards and I were busy with a guest- I actually came to learn you’re already quite acquainted.” 

Playing along as best he could, he pinched his brows in confusion and tilted his head just so. 

“The Zora prince-” Watching the way he nodded along, the gentle softness of her smile turned sharp. “He spoke rather fondly of you. Assured us we have nothing to worry about when it comes to Vah Naboris. I’ll admit, I thought you sounded a bit too self-assured when you appeared so suddenly, but after hearing what he had to say,” Her voice was still like a lilt, but it toed the line between idle conversation and debasement with little effort at all. “They’re fine people- honest, respectful, but I’ve always assumed his kind has a bit more water in their heads than brain. I’m looking to be proven wrong. And I hope you can live up to the standards set by his- _reverent_ remarks on your character.” 

While the unknown of what exactly was said about him made his neck begin to itch, he only let the impulsive chewing of his cheek work out the nervous energy. In the absence of his rebuttal, she doubled-down. 

“That doesn’t go without saying the guard’s criticism has been decidedly harsh lately.” Her comment was casual, but the words had been selected with a care and intent that made his fingers curl tighter around the bowl. “Is there something bothering you?” It wasn’t nearly as much of a question as it sounded. She wasn’t fooled even by the subtle shake of his head. 

“They’re hard on you to prepare you. You can’t start giving up now. I know we’re asking a lot of you, but what other option do we have other than sit around and wait to be laid to ruin? Or at this rate, buried in the sand.” She shifted and turned her gaze toward him. Bright green tracked every twitch of his muscles. His eyes stayed locked on the swirl of oil through fatty broth as she picked away at him. 

“Between what the Prince claims and what I see in your abilities already, I don’t believe you should be sulking around here much longer. You said it yourself when you barged in here- _You_ can calm the beast. Was that a lie? Are you trying to fool me into letting you hide away here?” When he shook his head again, it was hurried and accompanied by the scrunch of his brows. Riju hummed as she sat back before taking a slow sip from her bowl. “Then why look so discouraged?” Another sip, louder than the last. 

“Are you afraid?” He managed to stay still this time. Just waiting out the silence until she stopped trying to provoke him. “Fear has no place in battle. It’ll get you killed.” Suddenly, laughter bubbled out from some private thought and shook the room. It pulled his attention over as she waved about on the tail end of her snicker. “But then again, so will recklessness. Maybe you should have a little fear after all. Certainly not so much so that you can’t even defeat Buliara.” 

With the slightest of huffs, he took a bitter swallow from the stew but tried not to wince with the way his throat closed tight and resistant around it. 

“What? You don’t agree? You don’t want to defeat her? What other way is there to prove you’re ready? You’ll be torn to shreds inside that beast if you can’t even knock a spear out of a lowly guard’s hand.” 

He sat the bowl down roughly but not even the slosh and spill of brown over its lip stopped her. 

“And if you don’t get yourself out of whatever slump this is, you’ll never be able to do that or anything more. We don’t have much time here, Link. You can’t pretend that we do.” 

His hands were back and curled against his thighs, frown finally jumping free to make his face curve harshly. 

“No one else can do this. It’s not a pleasant reality, but it’s the one you have to start living. What? Would you rather wait so long that we’re all dead and then we won’t have to worry about it?” 

With that, his knees jerked him into a stand. Fists at his sides, he turned to stare down at the slight amusement slapped across her face. 

“Pardon me, did I strike a nerve somewhere along the way? Why don’t you use this frustration to fire you up? Pretend you’re hitting me instead of Buliara next time- I don’t mind. Whatever it takes to get you back in the right headspace.” 

She was antagonizing him. Wasn’t even trying to hide it. He shouldn’t be so quick to snap at the bait. So easy to rile. So fragile that just a few words could have him that defensive, but- 

“I’m not trying to be cruel.” Her smile was gone. The lightness of her tone fell into quiet rancor. “We’ll all be dead if you don’t prepare yourself in time. I’m risking more than you’re aware of to make sure that doesn’t happen, so please don’t abuse my generosity in letting you stay inside my city.” 

Their stare held through what felt more like a threat than a warning. She seemed to have spoken her fill, for in the absence of his response, she shifted her attention away and took to sipping at her bowl once more. Her lashes barely lifted from her low gaze ahead as he shifted around the edge of the couch and made for the door. 

He left with a heavy breath filling his chest the moment he broke from the palace. Serious conversation was stifling. The fiery looks, the way she tried to pick him apart with words and assumptions- his skin itched for him to move. His knees buckled on the next step, but he shuffled forward and slid through the night toward the city gates. 

He knew it wasn’t smart to travel in the open desert with so much clouding his thoughts. Unalert and annoyed, he was an easy target that stuck straight up from the dunes in the glow of the moonlight. 

The distant lights of the bazaar were a hazy beacon in the middle of the wasteland. He moved swiftly, kicked-up sand from his hasty steps and the evening wind stuck to his legs. 

One step. 

Then another. 

Straight line. 

Nonstop. 

Just like every day before, moving until his muscles ached and his lungs cried without enough air. 

The oasis was eerily quiet at night. The merchants began packing up as soon as dusk made the shadows long. The nights were cold, harsh on those that weren’t used to anything but the arid landscape. If he passed through on the nights when sleep was hiding from him, there usually wasn’t a soul to be found outside the fire-warmed inn. It was an odd feeling of relief to step into the calmer air, settled by buildings and palm trees, and see the reflective shine of gold eyes as they watched the sky. 

His steps slowed as he crept closer. Quiet as a mouse scooting over the earth, he wasn’t noticed until his shadow cut across Sidon’s face and made him startle. 

He turned in the pool, sinking down into the water with a swipe of his tail and his pupils blown round to swallow any yellow with daunting pits of black. Link waved the posturing off first, then reached up to unclip the mask from the side of his veil. With his face free, Sidon relaxed just as quickly as he had bristled. He stood, sending a wave of water toward the embankment as his grin grew into a stretch of starry white. 

“ _Link-_ ” Nothing more than a whisper, but all too loud in the silent evening. It took the pursing of Link’s mouth to keep him from smiling like a fool. “I’d hoped-” Sidon laughed suddenly, head shaking as Link stepped forward and toed his shoes off. The sand was still warm from daylight but didn’t burn like it did when the sun was high. “You _are_ here. Oh, I know it’s not your usual style- and I’m all for sitting and enjoying a break from the heat- but would you be up to chatting with me for a moment? I’m near exhausted from all this political blather and I feel like I haven’t heard from you in a lifetime.” 

With a nod offered in response, Link sat himself down and moved his legs into the tepid water. 

“I wondered if I’d see you here.” He moved in close, just inches past where Link was slowly kicking his legs in the water. “It’s a good thing- now I finally have something certain to say. For some reason, the Zora seem to think I know more of your whereabouts than anyone. I don’t want to say they were doubting you, but I- _and_ father too- we speak so highly of you I guess I can’t blame them for being a bit skeptical. I didn’t have much to tell them. At least seeing the light from the other beasts meant you were alive and going strong.” 

Despite all the moons that had come and gone, and the pull of night no doubt tiring them both, Sidon was as bright as he’d always been. His words came fast and without a worry of how they were put together. His thoughts always flew out in a stream once he started. They left Link to nod along, try not to get distracted with his animated movements and brilliant mirth. 

“I’ll have you know, sometimes, I wished I could write you just to see how your progress was going. I even thought about writing the things I wanted to say down anyway. But I figured giving you a handful of old letters the next time we saw each other would have been a bit boring and confusing.” At that, Sidon’s head fell a bit. He watched his own fingers fiddling with the surface of the water as he excused the next admission with another chuckle. “It’d been so long since I had such like-minded company, I became a bit spoiled while you were hanging around. Everyone in the Domain is so worrisome and priggish.” Looking back up, his smile was full again- eyes crinkled from its sharp curve. “It’s nothing like how gutty you are. I think I’ve come to appreciate that. I’ll admit it was peculiar at first, but it’s much more enjoyable than having to be so stuffy all the time.” 

_Peculiar,_

_Was it?_

Link had never thought too much about it himself. Was it weird to look to movement and the rapid change in expressions for a guide on how someone was feeling? Should he pay more attention to what was being said? Would a greeting and pleasantries make his purpose more agreeable? Did he come off rude? Stupid? Why was anything other than the dire matter at hand important to people he’d never met before? Wasn’t it a waste of the little time he had to consider the intricacies of rapport he didn’t care to learn in the first place? 

He must’ve looked confused- or bothered- maybe offended- because Sidon was backtracking and apologizing and moving on all within the same hurried breath. 

“ _Oh my_ \- off I go like always. I’m sorry, that's all to say- It’s simply nice to see you again. What exactly are you doing out so late? You should be resting, you know. Lady Riju mentioned you’ve been training quite intensively. And with the market closed till morning, I thought-” 

_‘Saw you earlier.’_

Quick and direct, the movement of his hands made Sidon fumble around the rest of his sentence. The end of it wasn’t audible, but he huffed and tried for something different. “You could have said hello when you first saw me. Although, you’ve been busy, I’m sure.” It wasn’t the whole truth. It didn’t include any hint toward the sudden panic he felt at finding Sidon so far from home- but seeing that it wasn’t entirely a lie either, Link nodded once. “Yes, well, I’m still here, so I guess there wasn’t any harm in waiting. It’s a bit cooler now that night has come, but the air is still dry. I don’t see how you can stand to stay here so long without burning up. This pool is about the only place I can be for long. Lady Riju took me into the city when I first arrived; but even in the shade, the heat is nearly unbearable. Not to mention- I wasn’t very fond of the stares I was getting. Especially not accompanied by such sharp weapons.” The discomfort working its way through his features lightened with the pull in of his brow and the facetious turn of his tone. “I couldn’t tell if it was because of who I am or simply that I’m not a- either way, I felt as though they might gut me in my sleep if I were to stay there. Either that or poke and prod at me for research. I wonder if they believe me to be a possible meal-” 

Cut short by the single throaty sound that came forth, Link caught Sidon’s widening gaze as his shoulders and chest twitched with dampened laughter. His movement faded fast into a questioning tip of his head as Sidon continued to stare as if he’d done something truly bizarre. 

But with a shake and hard blink, he was moving on again, “Oh! You see what I mean by that is, I-” Laughing his way through whatever had come over him, Sidon turned his eyes toward the edge of the trees. “I just happened to stumble into a rather _interesting_ class while I was there. Maybe you found the same?” Without a real answer, he continued on with his attention wandering anywhere but in front of him. “Ah, uhm-” His posture crumbled forward a little, seemingly regretting mentioning the subject as soon as he jumped from one deflection to the other. “Well, you know, general Gerudo curriculum I suppose. I know they must not be able to learn much about certain things cooped up in the walls of the city.” _Ah. Right. That._ “The details and whatnot of males and females aren’t things discussed quite so formally in the Domain, but I have to say that was the first place I was more of a novelty than a threat. They all were so interested in- and all their questions- as invasive as some of them were, I-” 

_'Learn anything?'_

His eye snapped back over to watch, immediately lifting above Link’s head once they caught sight of him. “I wouldn't- I don’t have any need for-” The hand that came to wipe over his face calmed him as did the deep breath he took between his fumbling. “As I said, it was interesting, but I should probably stop there. I don’t really wish to go over all that was asked of me. And I don’t want to offend- not that I think you would tell anyone my thoughts- it just wasn’t something I’d ever considered to be worthy of _teaching_ -” 

' _It’s strange.'_

Link’s remark eased the anxiousness of his words. “Yes. I suppose it is. This is all very strange for me.” 

When Sidon’s eyes lowered slightly, they got distracted by something along the way. It wasn’t obvious, but the stare made Link shift in the sand. Eyes watching him always brought in a certain level of discomfort- but these- bright and sparkling, so attentive and intrigued- he found it hard not to let the warmth of the earth seep into his blood beneath their glow. He brought his hands into his laps and his arms closer together over his chest. 

“You seem to be fitting in quite well.” Sidon said it like it was some sort of explanation for his wandering look. “I barely recognized you. Would they not let you in?” 

_'I’m not like you.'_

“It’s not my opinion that something so frivolous should keep you from your journey. You have far more prestige than a title or a bloodline. Lady Riju knows, doesn’t she?” Peeking up, he watched as Link nodded, “But the rest?” Shook his head, “How inconvenient.” Shrugged, “Is it uncomfortable for you to dress like this?” 

_'That bad?'_

“ _No!_ ” Loud and abrupt, water was sent flying as Sidon’s arms emerged and waved about. The dramatic display washed the itch from just under Link’s skin and let forth another jumpy laugh into his throat as he flinched away from the splash. 

“It looks-” He tried to calm the frazzled air by bringing his voice low, but it still sputtered and cracked as he went. “That is, you look-” 

Link watched with an entertained curiosity as Sidon lowered himself into the water. Pink crept in through the dim light and blended the white of his face toward a muddled red. His gills puffed out when he sucked in a breath before going flat against his neck once more. 

“It’s very fitting for this town.” Gliding away, he moved toward the edge of the pond where his sheathed sword and a small pack laid on the ground. “I actually have something that would go well with it all-” After a quick rummage through the bag, out came swirling silver with a large jewel in the center. He held the circlet forward as he side-stepped closer. “To aid in your attempts at blending in.” 

It was something Link had seen in the city- expensive and flashy- too much for him- he shouldn’t- couldn’t- 

While he was doing nothing more than staring down at it, Sidon turned it over a few times in his hands. The only light it caught was the distant shine of the moon and a faint flame from a far-off torch. Link watched the flicker, fingers curling against his thighs to stop from reaching out for it. 

“ _Mm_ , I know. A sapphire may not be the most inconspicuous thing, but perhaps if they believe you’re wealthy they’ll become too apprehensive to bother you. Moreover, I won’t bore you with the lore; but in a horribly stifling place like this, apparently some claim such a gem may ease the sweltering heat.” 

Link’s mouth opened just slightly, but nothing made its way out. With a sigh, he shut it back and looked up to push forward the perplexity coming with such a gesture. 

“Kodah asked me to bring her something, but I can always go again tomorrow and pick another one up. Please, I insist.” 

But Sidon was met with nothing. No agreeing but also no further resistance. He always took the quiet to be a tentative acceptance unless proven otherwise, so it wasn’t that much of a surprise when he pulled at the curves of the circlet and opened the back of it wider. 

“Consider it a token of my gratitude for all that you’re doing.” 

Link straightened up once Sidon was in front of him, leaning over him, looming in a way that never seemed to be on purpose. _Too close,_ eating up the space that kept his nerves at bay. _This close,_ he couldn’t stop staring at the slide of the water over shiny skin. His head craned back a bit when Sidon lifted the piece to his eyes. The metal was pleasantly cool across his temples as it stretched and curved around his skull. Cutting through his hair, it settled against his forehead snuggly. 

“ _Funny,_ ” Sidon noted with all the softness of the breeze. He wasn’t meeting Link’s gaze again. He was darting about his face and head but strictly avoiding anything more. “It’s almost as if you have three eyes now.” Bringing his hands away, the prickly drag of scales across Link’s cheek was unusual compared to every other time he had felt the dewy texture on the off chance their hands or arms brushed. “I knew the color reminded me of something- What’s wrong?” 

Before it went too far- before Link had any time at all to think about the action, he reached to grab one of Sidon’s hands and pinch the skin between his fingers with a scrunch of his face. 

“What is it? Was it too rough?” 

Taken between both of his own, Link lowered the hand to a loose hold above his lap. There, he turned it over with a brush of his thumbs over the palm. It was scratchy, less sharp than his knuckles, but still nothing close to the smoothness he was used to. 

The hand suddenly turned, grabbing his own and giving a small squeeze. “Oh, don’t look so frustrated. I’m just a bit dehydrated is all.” It shouldn’t bother him this much. Something like a bit of rough skin that he shouldn’t even feel the need to touch and coddle shouldn’t have him frowning so deeply. “I promise, I’m fine. I didn’t ride the whole way here. We traveled along the Regencia most of the way. I left the others just beneath the bridge before the canyon. I hadn’t wished to endanger that many of my people traipsing through such intolerable heat. They’re waiting there for my return.” 

At the mention of _we,_ Link looked up. With the end of the explanation, he was squeezing the hand back without so much as a thought not to. 

“Unfortunately-” He stopped there, blowing a bit of air out fast to stifle the rest. “I can’t stay long. I simply came to discuss setting up a new route once you-” He corrected himself quickly and let his eyes dart to the side. “Once this is all over- it will be wonderful for everyone to travel peacefully again. I’m sure you can understand we haven’t been able to trade without excessive risk in near a century.” 

Link let his own head fall slowly at that. His hands slipped away to leave Sidon’s palm up just above his knee. ‘ _I need to hurry.’_

“That’s not at all what I meant to imply. It’s-” Sidon dragged his hand down into the water but didn’t step back past that. “I can’t imagine the amount of pressure you feel. We simply have so much faith in you- And we believe you will prevail. You are far stronger than any of us, after all.” 

The short snort of disagreement from Link’s nose was involuntary and all too telling. 

“You know,” Sidon turned his voice with an empathetic softness he always donned when speaking to children or someone struck with worry. Link had heard it a handful of times but never directed straight at his own disquiet. “I can’t say I understand, but I often don’t feel as though I’ve been able to do much all these years. They tell me I have. They act as though I’ve done more than just shield them away from any horror I could. Many of them don’t know how close to the end we are- good or bad. Really, I’ve always wished I was as brave as Mipha. She was absolutely brilliant, wasn’t she? It seems she got all the guts and I’ve assumed all the glory in her stead. What a sad joke- She never was one for bragging about her achievements, but I can’t help but feel guilty acting as though I’m a worthy replacement.” 

_‘You’re not unworthy.’_ His hands signed slow, his attention focused on his swaying legs. The silence that followed felt like chilling static. There wasn’t a booming rebuttal or a joke to laugh it off. Sidon gave none of his usual remarks and in their place was an unfamiliar strain. Link handled his own uncertainty by staying quiet, drifting along other people’s words until they moved them both of them forward. But in the absence of a response, he found himself unable to comfort like Sidon did so easily for him. _‘You-’_ Nothing felt right, but he tried for the only thing he knew. ‘ _-helped me.’_

“I haven’t risked my life. I’m too much of a coward to do that.” 

_‘The Octorok-’_

“The oc-” The puzzled beginning fell into a sad little laugh. Even then, that sound was aborted in his throat by a sigh. “Oh, that silly story. Right, right, yes, I suppose that _was_ risking my life; but I promise it wasn’t all that much of a challenge. It wasn’t nearly as big as they make it out to be. I’m sure there are plenty of warriors who could have slain it much faster than I did. They wouldn’t have had to be swallowed first either. How humiliating it was to emerge from its slack jaw covered in-” He made a disgruntled noise, then a click of his tongue, then a huff. “And before you start- as for coming here; I’m sorry to say withering in the sun or being slain by a hoard of demented bokoblins is hardly the same. Yes, I helped you, but what I did was so miniscule I couldn’t possibly suggest it’s comparable. Now, I would stick around and do it again if I could. Nothing would make me happier than aiding you once more. I’m just not sure how much use I could be as a dried-up fish out of water. The sand nearly baked me alive before I reached this pool.” 

The thought yanked at something coiled around his ribs. Scratchy at irritating, it pulled his lips thin and curled his fingers into the sand. “Riju should have come to you.” If his voice was tighter than before, Sidon didn’t seem to notice. He carried on like there wasn’t a bit of malice to the comment. 

“It was my father that suggested the trade route in the first place. Perhaps it is a bit too courteous, but it would be impolite to ask Lady Riju to risk her safety for a deal she did not initiate. And she is a bit too young to be facing such a treacherous venture, isn’t she?” A pause was left for a customary response, but all Link could manage was a shrug and the worsening curl of his mouth. “You seem unconvinced. Are you that worried about me? A little hot air isn’t enough to take me out. I may not be as resilient as you, but I can hold my own. There you go looking like I’ve said something preposterous again. I’m only joking.” 

_Joking_ about being left to bake and crack in the sun when he hadn’t even given anyone the chance to say goodbye- _Content_ to waste away somewhere between the Wasteland and the Wetlands- _Fine_ about leaving his people without their heir and Link without the only friend he- the only one he’d ever- 

“Furthermore,” Sidon continued in haste. “I couldn’t expect her to leave while Vah Naboris is still so angered- Maybe she could have after, but we’re hoping to set this up as soon as-” The smack of his jaw to stop was an audible click followed by a deep breath. “There I go again.I’m not trying to rush you- and besides!” The rush of water hit Link’s knees before he had time to look up and notice Sidon’s reach to grab his shoulders. Droplets fell between them, wetting his legs and sliding into the sheer fabric around his arms. Sidon’s smile was there, but it was too tight. Too insistent to be comfortable. “If I hadn’t come all this way, what would have become of our chance for this chat?” 

When the air didn’t lighten and Link couldn’t draw in the sour feelings, Sidon let his frail smile fall away as well. With a somber shadow clouding such bright features, Link considered a fake smile may have been better than none at all. 

“You’re fretting too much. It’ll make you sick.” One hand left his shoulder to hover in the air before the rough pads of Sidon’s fingers pushed at his cheek. “Frown lines don’t suit you at all.” They were gone just as fast, leaving tingling skin that threatened to bloom red in their wake. “You’re so hard on yourself that sometimes your humility verges on deprecation. Do you not see the change you alone are making?” 

The comment pulled him back from the stupor of such a touch. He grunted in return and cast his gaze aside. The mention of _alone_ should make it clear why the reality of his purpose was so heavy. 

“Something you should be proud of is causing you so much worry. You think if you fail, there’s no hope after that? Link,” 

The slide along his cheek was back, more this time. More earnest. More certain. It pulled his face up. He hated it. He wouldn’t meet Sidon’s eyes. His jaw ground and his chest ached and he hated it. 

“It doesn't bring me joy to point out that if you choose not to fight, we will be just as doomed as if you were to fight and lose. I know that doesn’t offer much comfort, but perhaps it will be more of an encouragement. It is the unfortunate truth that neither of us have the liberty to ignore. This may not ease you either, but I can’t help but wonder this- Is there anything you know other than fighting for a better world? You won’t be happy with yourself if you don’t give it everything you’ve got.” 

Sidon curled his fingers against his nape. The slightest prick of claws and Link was sliding his eyes over to meet the deep, regretful sympathy waiting for him. He really wanted to hate it. It shouldn’t feel so comfortable, so normal, staring back at him. 

“That sort of blind valor is one of the reasons I-” The other hand squeezed at his shoulder. The tight grip said less than the words would have, but he felt their intention anyway. Felt it in the way Sidon’s stare was dipping close to adoring just before he reigned it back into mere admiration. “You have a good heart. And a strong sense of morality. Turning your back on what is happening in the name of fear or hopelessness isn’t who you are. You are capable- more so than anyone I’ve come to know. Our hope in you is not unfounded.” 

There must’ve been something in his appearance that conveyed his reluctance to trust such a statement. Either that, or maybe Sidon could see right through to his trembling core. 

“Do you not believe me? Daruk, Urbosa, Revali- even my dear sister- none of them succeeded. Do you see yourself below their level? If you do, may I ask you- if you are less fitting than they, how is it that you are doing what they couldn’t? They have been trapped in the beasts for a century, but _you_ are freeing them. Was it all pure luck? You have conquered parts of Calamity Ganon himself. Was that just fluke after fluke?” Link wanted to look down. Get away from the round, consuming eyes staring at him. Into him. Through him. Searching out every bit of blame and hesitation and ripping it apart with words just as sharp as his teeth. “I won’t allow you to consider yourself weaker than anyone. What can I do to make you see what I see? Because I know you’re a hero. A strong, kind, clever person who deserves to be called a champion. You deserve every bit of praise and esteem we wish to bestow on you. You are so much more than you think.” 

When Link’s jaw finally unhinged, nothing more left than the slight quiver of his lips. There was as much of a desire to give in and accept what he _didn’t_ deserve as there was the need to fight it. Still, he found himself without a single thought that was clear and concise enough to make it out from the curdled pit of his stomach. 

Treading through the space between a yearning for acquiescence and his own willingness to fill it himself, Sidon loosened his hold and drew his smile back out. Gentle yet assuring, it sat along his mouth with a desperate attempt at healing what had been festering for too long. 

“Would hearing a secret of mine cheer you up?” Touch moving from Link’s cheek to his neck, it sat warm against the thud of his pulse. “I was always so bitterly jealous of my sister. Not just because she became such a gallant warrior. You knew her- she was always so caring. And kind. Beautiful. She was always better than me no matter what we were doing. When I was young, people would fawn over her endlessly, but she stayed so humble. And even now that she’s among the spirits-” A moment passed where Sidon’s mouth stayed open but his eyes fluttered low and there was a real possibility that he would stop there. Wherever he was going felt like too much for either of them to prepare for. But fatigue and desperation weighed heavy on any judgement. “I still find things to be envious of. While I sit around the Domain, pretending I’m not letting my thoughts wander and fret, she is with you on this grand journey. You can feel her at all times, can’t you?” The subtle up and down of his head had Sidon nodding along. “What a glorious thing that must be.” 

_‘You can’t?’_

“No.” That only made Link’s brows draw up more. Surely her spirit was not his alone- “I mean, _yes,_ I can. I believe you have misunderstood. Of course, I sense Mipha’s presence within my blood and my being- but you see,” Only then did Sidon drop his stare. If Link focused enough, there was a slight shaking on his neck. More on his shoulder. He stared onward, trying to map out an explanation in the low-lidded expression avoiding him. “I always become rather cross when I consider how close she can be to you no matter where you venture.” 

It took dragging seconds for the words to unfurl and become clear. In the hush that followed, Link felt himself begin to cave in under the slow realization within that mutter. Eyes shutting, head tipping forward, every look he’d ever received- every wayward glance, every shining, awe-filled grin- it was all dumped on his back in an instant. He’d been blind. Peacefully ignorant. Too worried about saving them all to consider the reason why he always felt himself drifting in search of something. In search of what he felt each time he returned to high crystal walls that felt more like a home than they should. 

“Never mind that. The desert air must be getting to me.” Sidon’s words no longer sounded breathless, but the urgency still hid behind how fragile his unwavering morale had become. “Forget I ever let something so silly slip out. I think I’ve become too excited seeing you after so long. You haven’t been back in some time- No, _I’m_ _sorry._ Don’t feel obligated to visit for my sake. I don’t know what’s got me talking like this. We both have more important things than lounging around and busying ourselves with chitchat, but I-” 

Was Link shaking now too? 

Or was the entire desert shuddering with pity for their misfortune? 

“Don’t mind me.” After every inhale, Sidon was falling more and more into a babbling whisper, “I’ve just missed your presence.” _Erratic,_ “Whenever you came around, it was like I forgot all that was happening.” _Forlorn,_ “Things felt normal for once- like _I_ could be normal and not be worrying and planning all the time. You’re so free-spirited-” His touch grew to a painful clutch. Link wished he would stop. _“_ It must be nice to be able to live like that. Never having to stay in one place too long. Did you ever think of coming back more?” Before things went too far, he needed to stop. “I would get lonely being on my own so much- did you ever- I just-” Before he said something he could never undo, he _had_ to stop.“I swear I feel most alive when you are near.” _Stop._ “I could feel my spirit stirring at the mere thought that you might be here-” 

Gathering what little bit of focus he had left, Link’s hands shot from where they were strangling the sand to grab onto Sidon’s wrists and squeeze. Tight, fingers digging into the holes of his bracelets, Link silenced the frenzied admission with a shake of his head. 

They were clinging to one another. The silence had turned stifling only to be cut apart by dripping and trickling water when Sidon moved as close as he could. 

“So, you don’t want to know after all.” 

Less of a question, more of a disheartened statement. Link shook his head again. 

“I see.” The grip on his neck eased into a slow scratch through the hair at the back of his head. “You believe it will make things harder?” 

“I-” 

It cracked into raw nothingness. 

He was moved suddenly, pulled forward till his forehead was resting against a broad chest. Fingers still petting at his hair, Sidon curled over him. 

“I’m sorry. You don’t have to say anything. I understand. Please, just forget-” 

“ _No._ ” A hissed plea against the heartbeat pounding in front of his head. The same rapid rhythm echoed in the heave of his own chest. 

He always found strength in his silence. Without letting the quiver of his voice out, no one could believe he had his own doubts. Stoic yet daring he would stand for them all. Fight for them all. If it came to it, he would die without them ever knowing he had an entire cavern of fear between his bones that he’d stuffed full of recklessness. 

But he’d failed. His insecurities were seeping out and bleeding into the water alongside a thoughtless confession. They were painted in the solemn truth, drenched in imaginary wishes that would evaporate come daybreak. 

He’d already begun something he couldn’t stop. 

“You can’t-” If not now, the words would never leave him. “I’ll hesitate.” His eyes slid open to find white scales turned blue by the water and sky. “If I’m not prepared to die, I won’t win.” 

Not even a breath could pass through before Sidon was fighting him. “What if I don’t say anything but you die nonetheless?” His voice rattled with all its audacious vibrato, but there was still a fearful shakiness that caused Link to bite at the inside of his cheek. There was no misunderstanding here. “Wouldn’t you have wanted to know?” No going back. No tiptoeing around each other. “Wouldn’t you have wanted to hear what-” No more secrets. “What feelings I have for you- The sort that runs deeper than any river I’ve ever swam in? I’ve searched for the bottom. Please believe that I have. I thought maybe I would find the end of it, but- Forgive me, dear friend, I’m beginning to believe my affection for you is boundless.” 

With his shoulders buckling forward, Link would have surely fallen apart at the seams if he wasn’t being held so tightly. He was torn between laughing and crying from whatever was pummeling away at his insides. 

Grabbing him by the face once more, Sidon urged them to part just enough to flick his gaze between the nervous fluttering of Link’s eyes. He brushed over burning cheekbones, bending down to leave no room for looking anywhere else. 

“Tell me you wouldn’t want to know that and I shall never speak of it again.” 

“You-” Link slipped his hands up to cup over large knuckles. He knew the touch wasn’t going anywhere, but there was some insistent need to hold it against him. Keep him still. Keep him from running. Hide his blush away from the world. “You are always on my mind.” His eyes closed again with the rough whisper. It wasn’t as frightening to admit it as he dreaded it would be. It felt more like a sigh of relief. A heavy cloud in his lungs finally drifting out his mouth and letting him breathe. “Every storm- every strike of lightning- every foggy morning-” 

Something pressed into his hair as a laugh blew across his nose. “It’s embarrassing, isn’t it?” 

His head moved up and down, mouth finally wobbling into some sort of smile. “I wander east without meaning to,” 

“I wish you would keep going. Even if by accident, I would rather see you for a moment than not at all.” 

“I _can’t_ -” 

“No, you cannot avoid your own desires just because they might be a risk. Being scared means you are still breathing.” A press of sharp nails behind Link’s ears had him opening his eyes to find ochre and sunlight beaming back at him. “You cannot remain detached all the time- you have to let yourself feel and want,” _So close,_ “You must take something for yourself every now and then or you will be driven mad.” _So warm,_ “Be selfish before it’s too late.” 

_Selfish,_

_Greedy and impulsive,_

Link scrunched his eyes, letting go of Sidon’s hands to take each smooth fin at the side of his head and pull them together fully. The startled noise that bubbled from Sidon’s mouth was smothered quickly by an inhale through his nose then a deep hum. It could be called a kiss only on the account that their mouths were pressed firmly against one another, but all other niceties of the expression were lost to inexperience and surprise. 

The latter melted away with the passing of seconds, but the hazy, unforgettable buzz lingered long after. It whirred beneath his lips and fingers as Link inhaled brine, mud, rain as deep into his lungs and memory as it could go. 

A sharp, puffing breath of amusement ruffled his bangs. Then Sidon’s mouth shifted and things were softer. Link’s hands still twitched and tugged on the fins when the wetting of a tongue slipped salt along his lips. The fervor waned into languid waves both between each parting and within the pounding of his own body. By the time space grew between their mouths for breathing and seeping into one another, the daze was no longer vibrant and demanding. Just comforting. Soothing. 

“What a startling feeling.” A shared thought wheezed through the gentlest chuckle. “Tell me, my dear," And that call made the ache in Link’s chest lurch forward once more. It was a pain that was becoming intoxicating each time it rushed over him. “Are you afraid of this?” 

As much as he wanted to admit his concerns, fear didn’t fit the swell of feelings. It was too bitter of a notion. This was something sincere. Something that made his heart skip and his blood rush but left little room for dismay. The uncertainty wasn’t enough to stop him from shaking his head. 

Sidon’s grin spread in response. It was gone just as quick, tightening into a press of lips against Link’s mouth, “I’m glad.” another on his cheek. “Let my devotion give you the strength to overcome this darkness.” A final one at the corner of his eye before Sidon was smiling against the top of his head. “Remember that I am with you at every moment.” 

Each word was placed just like the kisses between them. Purposeful, calming, brushed across his skin and left there to sink in. Arms wound around him and he felt soaked from the wetness and the heavy sentiment. Sidon’s chest rose against him. Link was expecting another grand declaration, but all that drifted down was his deep, lapping timbre. 

“When you’ve won.” At the slightest stiffening of Link’s muscles, Sidon was pulling him tighter. “You will win. You _will_.” That hold loosened, hands rubbing idly up and down his spine. “And when you do, _please_ \- won't you come find me?” 

_How could it still be a question?_

_How could he stay away now?_

Link’s nod was small, but it brushed against Sidon’s arms and so a sigh fell around him like the bubble closing it in burst. 

“I thank all the spirits for this chance,” The bump of his snout was nestling against the top of Link’s head, scooting back and forth as he nuzzled and cooed. “To think I almost didn’t come here. And now- _oh_ , lovely pearl, I can spend days describing the depths of my fondness for you. Will you give me the honor?” This nod was much easier than the last. With it came a smile Link couldn’t fight any longer. He reached forward, ran his hands along breathing, flushed, beautiful skin and let his head bob. “Wonderful, nothing would make me happier.” 

_Ah,_

Suddenly- 

That’s what it was. 

The clenching within his chest. The heat across his skin. The pulse in his palms. The ache of his cheeks. 

Not fear. 

But happiness _._

Finally _,_ together _, happy._

**Author's Note:**

> my twitter [ @scuttlebuttles](https://twitter.com/scuttlebuttles?s=17)  
> 


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